Oh, man. Episode 7 hurts so bad, I just want to rush through the whole thing and get it over with. These episodes really bring the heart, but in bringing the heart, they also bring some pain.

Royal guard Choi Young, doctor Eunsoo, and Tiny King (a little boy who used to be Choi Young's sovreign and boss) are leaving Tiny King's exile home because the villain Gicheol wants the present king, Gongmin, to think Choi Young is a traitor still loyal to the previous king. Politically intense enough for you? Eunsoo doesn't understand the full weight of the conflict, but she know she has to protect Tiny King, who has some kind of deathly illness.

Save This Child, Please!

But alas, nothing goes happily in these episodes. Tiny King dies. He drinks some poison after being manipulated by Gicheol, then Choi Young has to stab the boy he loved like a little brother, just to spare the boy from any more suffering. It's so bad, I can't rewatch the episode to get screenshots. Just can't do it.

On to episode 8.

Choi Young lets himself be captured by Gicheol's goons, so the baddie doesn't hurt Eunsoo. Trouble is, Eunsoo saw Choi Young kill the Tiny King, but she didn't understand the context--that the boy was dying an agonizing, irreversible death from poison. Now Eunsoo thinks Choi Young is a coldblooded killer and is afraid of him.

Just Can't Win.

Eunsoo tries to think of ways to free Choi Young ('cause weirdly, she's still on his side, despite thinking he's a killer), but Choi Young is soon chained up in Gicheol's dungeon, awaiting punishment for betraying King Gongmin. Which he didn't do.

Situation Has Gone From Dire to Grim.

Eunsoo goes to bargain with Gicheol, and she's so snappy about it. She reminds everyone in the room that Gicheol treated her abominably before, and now he wants to make nice? Pssh. Eunsoo makes it clear that she's only talking to him because he's got something she needs. Gicheol is still playing that power game introduced a few episodes ago, where he somehow needs to win Eunsoo's loyalty, just to prove he can. Gicheol says that if Eunsoo becomes part of his entourage of cool yet evil people, he'll let Choi Young live.

Choi Young falls asleep for a few days, as he is wont to do, and dreams of the fantasy world where he visits his father. Only, instead of being iced over and wintry as it usually is, the dream world has bloomed into spring. What could it signify?

That He Has Regained His Will to Live?

Back at the Goryeo palace, King Gongmin is finally convinced that Choi Young didn't betray him. And he is so wonderfully gleeful about that. The King visits Choi Young in prison and asks him to help him learn how to fight, metaphorically, for his kingdom.

And at villain headquarters, Eunsoo is mixing up bomb shots for her captors to drink. Hilarious.

Heavenly Maiden Who Drinks Like a Fish.

Eunsoo's charming and disarming attitude nearly allows her to escape, but Choi Young has other plans in mind for her--he could have rescued her, but instead he allows her to stay with Gicheol. Choi Young seems to be messing with Gicheol's mind because he escapes from his prison, then re-imprisons himself, as if to make a point. The King, the villain, and the warrior are all just playing roles and making subtle chess moves which don't always reveal the full extent of what they can do.

In the palace, King Gongmin makes a huge statement to his courtiers by changing from his Yuan (Chinese) robes into full-out Goryeo kingly robes. It's a heck of a statement, and it means that he's ready to rule for real this time.

Like a Boss!

He reinstates the honor of the Wodalchi royal guard, Choi Young included, and the warriors march into the throne room triumphantly. Yes!

Things I Loved:

1. Choi Young's Nap. When Eunsoo convinces an exhausted Choi Young to lean on her, it's not just cute; it's heartwarming because she's worried about him and the way he shoulders all the burdens in their little group.

The Only Nice Moment in All of Episode 7.

2. Hwasuin's arrogance. She's a glorious, glamorous villain. When she discovers that Eunsoo can see the future, she asks, "Then you must know about me! In the future, what am I more famous for; my special fire powers, or my ability to capture men's hearts?" Oh, girl.

You're So Self-Centered, and I Kind of Love It.

3. King/Warrior Bonding. King Gongmin and Choi Young are really the best pair of friends ever, and it was great to see them finally getting past the life-threatening misunderstandings that separated them.

The Royally-Robed Hand, Reaching to the Hand in Chains...*Sniffle*

Complaints:

1. Over-Scheming. Gicheol changes his mind about whether he wants to kill Choi Young or win him over so many times. I can't keep up, and I'm starting to not care about what the villain is actually trying to do. He's just there, causing a variety of problems.

Episode Evaluations: Pack your Kleenex, it's time for the weepy parts, at least for episode 7. For episode 8, what I like best is Eunsoo getting a chance to act bossy toward the villain, and King Gongmin finally standing up for himself and becoming the true king of Goryeo.

Also: I love Eunsoo. I started out feeling really ticked off at her personality, but now she's one of my favorite things about the show. Can't wait for next week!